Business Managers work in many different industries and specialize in a variety of ways, so there are many different job titles associated with this role. This article discusses the Business Manager career path and some common jobs associated with it. It also talks about common skills needed for this role, and some reasons why you might want to become a Business Manager.
What is a Business Manager?
A Business Manager is a leader who supervises the personnel and operations of a department or organization. They work to maintain productivity, efficiency, and organization, and to help the company achieve its goals. They also help improve overall performance and find new opportunities for growth and improvement. A small company might have only one Business Manager, while a larger company might have a number of them. Some Business Managers specialize in a specific area such as marketing, sales, or administration.
A Business Manager typically takes responsibility for a wide range of different tasks. These vary depending on the industry they work in and the company they work for, however, in general, this position involves four main aspects. One is planning, which means setting future goals and making a plan for achieving them. The second is organizing tasks and resources so that business plans can be implemented. A third part of business management is leading employees. Finally, Business Managers are responsible for controlling the operations of a business, which means keeping track of how it is performing and making any changes that are needed.
Business Manager Skills
A Business Manager is responsible for overseeing business operations, which means that if you plan to work in this role, you’ll need financial literacy. This includes the ability to understand basic financial and accounting concepts. You’ll need to be able to read financial statements like income sheets and balance statements. As a Business Manager, you should be able to work with budgets, make forecasts, and understand assets and liabilities. Another basic financial skill you should have for this role is an understanding of business and tax law.
This job also involves managing personnel and communicating with many different people, and you’ll need a number of different soft skills. One of the most important is leadership, including being able to delegate tasks, inspire a team, foster collaboration, and solve conflicts. You’ll also need to have strong verbal and written communication skills, since this job involves constant communication. Other soft skills that you’ll need as a Business Manager include time management, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.
Another thing you’ll need to master if you work in business management is the software that you’ll use. Business Managers typically use a number of different software applications, which vary according to the specific job involved. You’ll most likely need to learn financial and accounting software such as Quickbooks. This type of software can save you time, reduce errors, and make it easier to analyze data. If your job involves project management, you may also need to learn a project management application such as Microsoft Project to help you do things like manage resources, monitor progress, and track schedules and budgets. Another common type of software used in this profession is data analytics software like Tableau. Businesses of all types and sizes often use data analytics software to help them get a better understanding of what their customers want, how the business is operating, and how they can do better.
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Business Manager Career Path
Part of becoming a Business Manager is deciding the specific path that you want to follow in this field. Business Managers work in a wide range of different industries and have many different specializations. In an article titled, “Possible Jobs With A Business Management Degree: A Complete Guide,” Forbes Advisor explains that each type of business management specialization is associated with its own unique responsibilities and work environment. It says, “Specializations for business management experts are critical in determining day-to-day responsibilities and work environment. For example, the compensation and benefits manager for a school district in Minneapolis might have to collaborate with a teacher’s union on a weekly basis; meanwhile, the sales manager for a chain of gyms in Miami might contract with local social media influencers to drive up membership rates.” According to Forbes, some popular specializations for Business Managers are accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources, international business, marketing, operations and logistics, project management, strategy, supply chain management, and technology and equipment.
Chief Executive
A Chief Executive is responsible for the overall management of a company. That includes making major decisions about the direction of the company, supervising other executives, and planning for future growth. This is the highest-level executive position in a company. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median pay for a Chief Executive is just over $100,000 per year. The agency predicts job growth of about 3 percent for this field over the next decade, which is about average, and says that there will be approximately 311,000 job openings per year.
Administrative Services Manager
An Administrative Services Manager coordinates a wide range of different administrative services within a business. They are responsible for ensuring that the business runs both smoothly and efficiently. BLS predicts that jobs in this field will grow by about 5 percent over the next decade, which is faster than average. It says, “Demand for administrative services managers is expected to be particularly strong for those working in records and information management. As cloud computing continues to expand, these workers will have a critical role in helping organizations develop new records and information management practices and in maintaining data security.” The median pay for an Administrative Services Manager is almost $105,000.
Training and Development Manager
A Training and Development Manager is responsible for planning and directing programs that train employees. Their goal is to create programs that help employees work more efficiently and fulfill the company's goals. BLS predicts 6 percent growth for this profession over the next decade. It explains that this growth will be a result of the continued need to develop new training methods for employees. It says, “Innovations in training methods and learning technology are expected to continue throughout the decade, particularly for organizations with remote workers. Organizations use social media, visual simulations, mobile learning, and social networks in their training programs. Training and development managers need to continue modifying training programs, allocating budgets, and integrating these features into training programs and curriculums.” According to BLS, the median salary for this position is approximately $125,000.
Human Resources Manager
A Human Resources Manager oversees all aspects of human resources for a business. That includes tasks like hiring and firing employees, training them, and overseeing daily activities like performance evaluations, resolving conflicts, and carrying out disciplinary action. BLS predicts 5 percent over the next ten years for Human Resources Managers. It says, “About 15,500 openings for human resources managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.” This job pays an average salary of $136,000.
Sales Manager
A Sales Manager oversees the sales operations of a company. This includes setting goals, making sales strategies, compiling budgets, and tracking performance. It also includes hiring and training a sales team. As reported by BLS, 4 percent growth is expected for Sales Managers. The agency notes that this job can involve travel. It explains, “Many sales managers travel to national, regional, and local offices and to dealers’ and distributors’ offices.” It says, “About 43,200 openings for sales managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.” The average salary for this role is $135,000.
Why Become a Business Manager?
Business management is a high-paying career and experts predict that it will have strong future job growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a government agency that collects U.S. labor market statistics and releases analyses of those statistics. It reports a strong job outlook for all management jobs. It says, “Overall employment in management occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032. About 1.1 million openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.” According to the agency, “The median annual wage for this group was $116,880 in May 2023, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $48,060.”
As a Business Manager, you may have access to a variety of different types of job opportunities in a range of industries, which is one thing that lots of people like about this job. Business Managers work in many different places because most types of business need managers. A Business Manager helps a business create goals and meet those goals, and also helps keep employees motivated and productive. This job can mean the difference between a business that thrives and one that does not.
Learn the Skills to Become a Business Manager at Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop is a New York City-based school that offers a wide variety of business classes, both in person--at its Manhattan facility--and in a live online format. Courses include comprehensive, hands-on bootcamps and certificate programs, which are designed to help you master all the skills that you’ll need in order to work as a business manager. Noble also runs a number of shorter courses where you can spend a day or two learning essential business skills like financial modeling or Excel. This school is licensed by the New York State Education Department.
- One popular Noble Desktop option is the “MBA” Business Certificate. This course is an “MBA-style” program and it includes some of the skills taught in MBA programs. In this class, you’ll learn tools and strategies for finance, project management, marketing, and data analysis. You’ll also learn about the practical applications of generative AI, and will get access to a self-paced class that covers the basics of business insurance, employment law, and business law. This class includes the option to take electives that match your specific area of interest. Finally, it comes with eight one-on-one mentoring sessions.
- Another popular certificate program is the Data Analytics Certificate. In this course you’ll learn about gathering, wrangling, analyzing, and visualizing data, and you’ll work on a number of real-world projects. Both predictive and prescriptive analytics are covered, in addition to Python, Excel, Tableau, and SQL. All students also receive eight one-on-one mentoring sessions, which can be used to work on challenging concepts or for resume and portfolio advice.
- Noble Desktop also runs many different business-related bootcamps. The Project Management Bootcamp is a popular option. This class is designed for students who want to learn more about project management. It is a combination of the school’s Level I and Level II classes and is offered at a discount. When you take the Project Management Bootcamp, you’ll learn the five phases of project management and will receive a slide deck that contains a variety of exercises. You’ll also learn about Waterfall, Critical Path, and Agile methods of project management, including popular Agile frameworks. You’ll receive a certificate of completion at the end of the class.
- Another bootcamp option is the Chat GTP & AI for Business Bootcamp. This course is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to utilize AI in your daily business tasks. You’ll learn how to create effective prompts, manage conversations, and use advanced features like memory settings. You’ll also learn about the ethical considerations of AI. In addition, the course focuses on ways to use AI for task management, communication, and project planning. You’ll learn about automating repetitive tasks, optimizing schedules, and improving collaboration and administrative workflows.
- Noble also offers many shorter classes focused on a number of different business skills. For example, it has a variety of short Excel classes: Excel Level 1,Level 2, and Level 3. Level 1 is focused on getting familiar with the interface, entering data, using essential formulas and functions, and creating charts. You’ll also learn how to format and print. Level 2 covers splitting and joining text, adding data validation, named ranges, database functions, adding logical statements, and using Pivot Tables. In addition, you’ll learn to use statistical functions and create advanced combo charts. In Level 3, instructors cover advanced concepts including cell locking, auditing, hotkeys, formatting for calculating dates, advanced functions, advanced analytical tools, Pivot Charts, and advanced database functions.